They say there are angels that walk among us. Maybe so, but I can tell you there are angels in human skin that literally surround us all.
They are called volunteers.
I am involved in a nonprofit and have seen them. What they do takes my breath away. They put in hours – long, thankless, often lonely hours – to benefit others. They do not volunteer for accolades or reward. They volunteer because…well, I don’t know exactly. I imagine the completion of that phrase is a very personal secret.
What I do know, however, is the impact they have on the lives of those they serve. It is tremendous. They change the trajectory of people’s paths through life. They make them feel welcome, loved, significant.
They work invisibly so that those they serve don’t feel invisible.
I cannot adequately express the admiration I have for those who serve as volunteers. The emotions they evoke hit home at so many levels.
All I can say, really, is thank you. And sometimes that’s all they want.
